


Harm's Way

by athena4lynn



Category: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-14
Updated: 2006-12-14
Packaged: 2018-01-25 01:12:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1623671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athena4lynn/pseuds/athena4lynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But then the writers left, and Maisy, and the next thing she knew, she was Matt's assistant  a position that put her right smack in the middle of harm's way.<br/>And it was less than a week before she came to harm.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	Harm's Way

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Meyerlemon](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Meyerlemon).



> Thanks to Bex and Shanola for beta, and Sternel for moral support.
> 
> Written for meyerlemon

 

 

People used to tease Suzanne in high school. It wasn't about her clothes, or her pimples,  
or even about her unfortunate tendency to trip over her own feet. Those things were  
incidental compared to her ability to crush on boys that were way, way, out of her league,  
and make a fool of herself by not being able to hide her feelings. After several  
unfortunate incidents in high school that left her feeling desperate, she made a vow. A  
promise to herself that continued throughout college, and into her working life.

No matter how much her heart thudded and no matter how hard she had to pinch herself  
to keep from blushing in their presence, no man - no man out of her league - would ever  
know the truth. She learned to build walls that hid her feelings, to stay inside her shell,  
hiding behind shyness, in the presence of those men that she knew she had no chance  
with, and for a long time, it served her well.

Until Daniel Tripp.

The problem, she figured, in the moments when she let herself think about it, was that her  
crush on Danny took her by surprise. One day she was nursing her long standing crush  
on Cal, and the next it was Danny, his smile giving her shivers of pleasure, and his touch  
\- when he took notes from her hand - sending jolts of electricity through her.

There was simply no time to build walls, so she avoided. When Cal passed her notes to  
give to Danny, she passed them off to another PA, when she saw Danny coming down  
the hall towards her, she turned in the opposite direction. It was inconvenient, and she  
knew it couldn't last, but she needed time.

But then the writers left, and Maisy, and the next thing she knew, she was Matt's assistant  
\- a position that put her right smack in the middle of harm's way.

And it was less than a week before she came to harm.

"Suz..." Her eyes went wide, hands clenched on the sheet she had pulled up over her  
breasts. If she didn't answer, maybe he'd think she was asleep. "Suzanne, no one holds  
that tightly to anything when they're sleeping. Your knuckles are white."

She didn't dream it. It was his voice, his hand on her arm. Pulling the sheet up under her  
chin, she closed her eyes tighter, head and heart pounding. "If you go into the bathroom,  
I'll get up and go, and we can pretend this didn't happen."

" _Suzanne_." His voice was sharp and she flinched, cowering, but his touch was  
soft. "Open your eyes, Suzanne."

She obeyed, almost against her will, tilting her head towards the sound of his voice. She'd  
seen him like this a dozen times in her dreams - hair mussed, sheet pulled only as far up  
as his hips. Her breath caught at the sight of him, stomach alive with butterflies. He was  
smiling, not angry. "Oh, Danny -" Tears welled up in her eyes.

He brought a hand up, touching her lips with a finger. "Shhh, let me talk."

She nodded, she had to, she was mesmerised by the sight before her. He'd lifted himself  
up onto an elbow, body close to hers, and she could feel him - his heat, and was that! -  
She blushed, turning away again, and closing her eyes. He was naked under the sheet.

"Suz _anne_." His voice was filled with amusement. Was he making fun of her?  
She felt the bed shift as he moved away. Then it gave completely. He was gone.

Letting her eyes flit open, she surveyed the room. His room. It wasn't quite like she'd  
pictured it. For one thing, it was far more cluttered, filled with pictures, and scripts,  
things she was sure would have a room of their own. It was as though he preferred to live  
among them, like they were a part of him.

Her eyes drifted a little to the right, and they found him, bent over a spot on the floor, still  
naked. She should have pulled her eyes away, but this time she couldn't. Wide-eyed,  
she watched the muscles in his thighs as he bent, saw his buttocks tense, and remembered  
them doing the same under her hand the night before. She felt a blush creep up her  
cheeks, but she couldn't move, not even when he turned, boxers in hand. _That_ she  
remembered too.

She pulled her eyes away quickly - but not quick enough. He'd seen. She saw him pull  
the boxers on out of the corner of her eye, and shifted nervously when he came towards  
the bed. Sitting up a little, she used one arm to hold the sheet over her breasts. "I really  
should go..." she murmured.

"This is awkward," Danny said, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her, but not  
touching her.

She gulped, raising her eyes. His hand was hovering over her thigh, as though he wanted  
to lay it there, but was scared of making her uncomfortable. "I had too much to drink -"

"Yeah," Danny agreed, and then he did lay his hand on her thigh, and electricity shot  
through her. _Oh god._ His eyes were soft, she could fall right into them. "And I  
had a lot on my mind ...If I'd been thinking -"

A little piece of her crumbled, and her face must have fallen, because she watched his  
eyes go wide. "No, Suzanne, don't - I don't take advantage of women when they're  
drunk," he said, firmly.

"But you did," she replied, voice soft. She felt tears welling up in her eyes again, and  
took a breath. "You took advantage of me."

Danny nodded, and for a long moment Suzanne studied his face. Guilt. Confusion.  
Maybe a little bit of anger. Definitely remorse. But it was the confusion that caught her  
attention. The confusion, and the fact that he was here, talking to her, rather than shoving  
her out the door.

"I wanted you to," she whispered, suddenly brave. She could lose her job over this, likely  
would. She raised her chin defiantly, eyes wide. "I wanted you to."

"Suzanne. " His voice was affectionate, but there was a trace of warning in it. She'd  
been expecting that. "You know -"

Shifting, still protecting her breasts with the sheet, she sat up still further. "I  
 _know_ it shouldn't have happened. I know it can never happen again. I know I'll  
probably be looking for a new job on Monday -" The words were coming quickly, one  
on top of the other, trying to get them all out before she lost her nerve. "But I threw  
myself at you, and maybe this is less embarrassing then you rejecting me out of hand..."  
Suddenly the bravery was gone, and she blushed, ducking her head. "I know I'm not  
good enough."

She felt the bed shift, then his hand come up under her chin, tilting her head upwards. "It  
has nothing to do with 'good enough', Suzanne," he said, voice remarkably soft. It gave  
her shivers, and the look in his eyes made her want to melt into a puddle. "But you work  
for me; and I think you know this can't be."

She nodded as best she could with his hand under her chin, ignoring the shivers caused  
by his touch. "Do you think Matt or Cal will write me a reference?"

His lip twitched in what she could only assume was an almost-smile, although he looked  
a little disappointed at her words. "You're not fired, Suzanne," he said, standing. He  
moved around the room, retrieving his clothes, and she tried not to watch the muscles in  
his back and thighs. "Matt needs you, and so does the show." He paused, tie in his hand,  
to look at her. "You can go back to working for Cal, if it makes you uncomfortable."

His head tilted a little, and again she wanted to melt into a puddle. Why did he have to be  
so sweet about this? "You don't want me to leave?" she asked softly.

He came back to sit on the edge of the bed, pants on this time, and laid a hand on her calf.  
"No, I'd like you to stay. Things might be a little uncomfortable for a while, but I think  
we'll manage."

He raised an eyebrow in question, and she nodded. "You won't tell anyone?" she asked,  
voice cracking a little. Her hand clenched on the sheet again, nervously.

"No one," he agreed, and surprised her by leaning close, kissing her forehead. She closed  
her eyes in unconscious bliss, not opening them again until he pulled away. "I promise."

"Thank you." She relaxed, a little, but her hand remained clenched on the sheet. "I - Can  
I get dressed?" That earned her a grin as he rose, and sent shivers down her spine.

"I'll put some coffee on - you can use the shower, if you want." He pointed in the  
direction of the bathroom, starting towards the bedroom door. "There are fresh towels  
under the sink."

He paused in the doorway as she was tugging at the sheet, giving her another smile.  
There were wrinkles of worry around his eyes. "It'll be all right, Suzanne," he said, and  
there was something in his voice that made her think the words were a question.

She nodded agreement, and he turned, shutting the door behind him.

 

 

 


End file.
